So Convenient
I took my iPhone to Toronto cause I could use my phone so long as I could connect to internet. I had my mom’s cellphone too, but it’s one step close to a Zack Morris phone. :P But with the combined two I could make local calls and texts and use my phone for internet purposes when WiFi was available.
The whole trip to Toronto you could hear me say, “Do they have WiFi?” Many pit-stops to McDonald’s, Starbucks and wherever soon incurred. :P
I’ve barely had my iPhone 4S a month and I’m totally addicted to it. Perhaps it’s just the excitement of having a new phone and gadget, but LOL we’ll see.
New Year and first official blog of 2012
The flight to Toronto was pretty good! I watched 3 movies all of which I can’t recall the titles of. ^^ Also what’s kind of neat is I went back in time cause I left Tokyo Friday at 5pm and arrived in Toronto on Friday 3pm. :P
This trip to Toronto was bittersweet cause my parents moved to a new house. The house is out of the way and for me it doesn’t feel like home (yet). I felt like a visitor… but I guess I’ll have to get used to change.
New Year’s was at my aunt and uncle’s place. If there’s any continuity in my life it’s the fam jams. Though we may be all older (me and my cousins) and a lot has changed; I love my family and I feel loved each and every time I come home.
Best part of the night was the countdown on TV. When it came time, we were all wondering why there was no countdown clock on the station we were watching. As midnight rolled by we realized that we were watching New Year’s coverage on Pacific Time instead of on Eastern Time! … 2012 is gonna be an interesting year.
Winter School
The final school event before I get to go on holiday to Toronto is Winter school. This year we had 3 days of events – a Pirate’s Day, and Pre-New Year’s Party and a Harry Potter Day. After that I’m free to fly home for New Year’s and enjoy my extended holiday!
They gave me the same pirate’s vest as what I wore for the kids’ sleepover party last year . The vest is Japanese size and I’m a chesty guy so it was a snug fit to say the least. I was not pleased! On Pirate’s Day the kids had a chance to help decorate a boat and its mast. They even made pirate hats and went treasure hunting for gold coins and gemstones.
The Pre-New Year’s Party the kids got to countdown early and decorate calendars. Since it’s the year of the dragon, they got to make dragon caps to ring in the New Year as well.
Harry Potter Day was the hardest day of all. It was a lot of magic tricks and a lot of prep! The kids didn’t know much about Harry Potter, but the kids enjoyed making magical treats, playing wizard games and crafting magic wands.
Gift Exchange Secret Santa, Kris Kringle or how ever you call it is basically a gift exchange where a group of people are randomly assigned a person to whom they anonymously give a gift to. But in our case, we put all of the presents under the tree and were assigned a number to pick & choose a present. I was number 6 or maybe it was 9. ^^
Jeff and Hiroshi invited me again to their now annual Christmas party. Last year I blogged that for my previous Secret Santa present I received a bag of oranges and book on how to make those orange peels into different animal shapes. That party was great and I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to go again.
This time around, I received some Lebanese chocolate and coffee and an assortment of mini English jams. Coincidently my friend Ben had just came back from Lebanon and England… Hmm I wonder who my Secret Santa was? ^_~
My Secret Santa gift from Ben.
That night I couldn’t stop eating cause the food was so yummy! I’m a sucker for mashed potatoes and ham!
Christmas Party Time
It’s the annual Christmas Party and one thing I’m grateful for is that I’m not Santa Claus this year! …Hey I paid my dues for doing two schools’ parties last year. The beard was a b*tch and my Santa eyebrows kept falling off! Not-to-mention I stabbed myself during the Santa dance performance!
This year, the kids had a chance to exchange gifts, eats some food and snacks and as always meet & greet Santa Claus. Overall our Christmas Party was a success. Events like this are always tiring, but the kids enjoyed it so that’s what counts.
The teachers performed the book It’s Christmas David in which I played naughty David. I think us teachers were having more fun than the kids watching. Jonni is not pleased with my “naughty” behavior.
The best part about meeting Santa is when the kids scream and you catch it on camera. A Kodak moment!
Sunshine Aquarium
I was seeing a bunch of pics on Facebook from various friends’ visits to the new Sunshine City Aquarium in Ikebukuro and thought it looked like a good place to go check out.
The Sunshine Aquarium exhibits creatures from seas, oceans and tropical forests around the world, including stingrays, sunfish, frogs, snakes, penguins, seals and otters. Located on the 10th floor of the World Import Mart Building in the Sunshine City complex, the aquarium was recently renovated and reopened in summer 2011. (japan-guide)
There are of course many fish and sea life to see, but popular attractions include the penguins, sea otters, and seals. The place was busy the day we went, obvious to say cause it was a weekend. There was a bit of a wait for the elevator and to get tickets, but after that it was all good. The aquarium was fun and good way to spend the afternoon.
Interesting fact, since the aquarium sits on the 10th floor of Sunshine City it’s given the title of highest aquarium in the world. Hmm is that really true?
Got my ticket!
People were commenting on how beautiful the coral and fish were. Unfortunately the only thing alive in here was the fish. The coral was fake cause you could see the paint.
I finally bought new shoes!
I’ve been looking for a pair that I actually like for quite sometime. So when my friend Nirav came to visit from Toronto earlier this month; I wasn’t really looking to buy anything as I kind of gave up and figured I’d just buy shoes when I go home to Canada during New Years. It was a pleasant surprise that I found some.
It’s always when you’re not looking for something (or even someone ^_~) when things work themselves out, right?
My new shoes. I haven’t worn them yet cause I don’t want to get them dirty. :P I want to buy another pair of shoes for work. Preferably a white pair, but I have yet to find a pair I like. Fingers crossed.
Hakone
Something you may or may not know about me is that I like to hike. I may complain and complain a bunch more during the whole thing, but I truly do like to hike despite it all. Recently I had the opportunity to go hiking in Hakone. I’ve always wanted to visit Hakone, but never got around to it. This trip made for the perfect occasion to head out that way and explore!
It took about under two hours to get there from my place by way of the Odakyu Line, which is the cheaper option of getting there. And I have to say, people get crazy when trying avoid paying for the fare… As I was exiting these two girls were totally tailgating me on my pass to avoid paying the fare. So cheap! People always seem to be doing that at touristy spots of of the city I’ve noticed. But all I can do is give a judging eye and hope karma comes back at them three-fold. :P
After hiking we went to the onsen (Japanese hot spring), which was a nice way to unwind from a day trekking through the mountains. It was raining by the end of the day, which made for an interesting outdoor hot spring experience.
How not to operate a camera. Don’t mind me being a retard with a stick. ^^
Taking a pit-stop along the trail. At the beginning, the climb was hot but gradually the temperature dropped.
This is me cold.
I’m here to break the rules!
Watch out for falling rocks! Eeee!
Presenting NATURE!… Along the hiking trip a point out all kinds of nature. ^_~
Gokiburi!
Can you believe I found a cockroach in my apartment! I mean I know that they are everywhere, but seriously why does it have to be in my home! I was going to the toilet when I first noticed the thing scurrying across the floor towards and under the laundry machine. I later saw it again in the same vicinity. I figured that night I would see it a third time and when that time came I would just smack it with a sandal. The sandal remained ready on the kitchen table for just that moment, which didn’t come.
Apparently Gokiburi Hoihoi is a well known cockroach trap in Japan.
The next day I decided to stock up on spray and roach traps. I figured that if I couldn’t smack it with a sandal, then maybe the trap would lure it. And if I happen to see it I could just spray it to death. So after sitting a good 10 minutes assembling a roach trap I opened the door to set it in place when I see the beast! I grabbed my spray quickly and sprayed the bejesus out of it! It was really satisfying! I even took pictures cause I was proud, but no one wants to see a dead cockroach.
